TIMP CHAT

Admit It! You Love Storytelling, We All Do!

No really, you do! Think about it. What is your favorite movie, and why do you like it so much? I’ll tell you mine while you think about that.

I love Star Wars. And when I say “love,” I mean with all my Jedi heart. The space combat always made me want to grow up to be a fighter pilot (although that didn’t happen), and the lightsaber fights produced a good amount of imagination involving wooden dowels and red and green spray paint—not to mention a few good bruises. The planets and worlds were spectacular, the aliens were new and exciting, and the Force was as mystical as it remains to this day. But toss out the starfighters, the laser swords, and worldbuilding, and what are we left with?

Story.

It’s the story of a young farm boy who sets off on adventure and ends up saving the galaxy (spoilers). It’s about the vast cast of characters with their individual story arcs, their tests and trials, and their successes and failures. That is what Star Wars is all about.

So what’s your favorite movie? What’s the story there?

I bet your favorite movie has memorable characters, emotional scenes, or even some good bits of humor thrown in to lighten the mood. These are all aspects of story. And it’s not just movies, either. Books, comics, music, ancient cave paintings, dinnertime conversation, explaining to your boss why you’re late for work…practically everything we do is linked to storytelling, and your brain is already hardwired to love it.

That’s right; you’re one of us.

The tellers at the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival bring their stories to life, but it’s more than just sitting back and listening to tall tales. Personal stories bring our hearts closer together, bridging gaps we didn’t know existed (or have been trying to traverse for years). These tellers tell stories of their childhood—about their parents and grandparents, yes—but their stories have meaning. Real meaning that you, fair reader, can take with you to help you through whatever difficulty you’re facing.

Because we’ve all been there. No matter who you are, someone has been in a similar situation as you, and when we listen to the stories that we can relate with, we don’t feel so alone anymore. We connect with the teller, and the teller connects with us.

And it’s more than just getting through a difficult time. Laughter is good for anybody in any stage of life. These storytellers weave humor into their stories so well that it’s practically magic how quickly the audience can go from tears to laughter. Some stories are all about the humor. But unlike that mediocre comedy that Netflix insists you watch, these stories are filled with meaning, depth, and a personal touch you simply can’t get anywhere else.

If you’ve never been to the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival before, this is the year to make amends and come. After all, you already love storytelling. Why not indulge a little bit?